Sky Ocean Chapter 5
#5 of Sky Ocean
Chapter 5
Harvy lept up from her seat as the final bell rang, stretching with an exagerated canine yawn. She froze when she felt nimble fingers lightly tapping her on the shoulder. She turned around and came face to face with a petite and stylishly dressed bunny girl, her short fur the same color as desert sand. "Ummm...yes?" Came harvy's reply. The girl gave her a curious look and spoke up. "Hey, are you the wolf girl who's been hanging around with Frosty since yesterday?" Harvy blinked in confusion. "Ummm...Frosty?" The rabbit girl rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You know! Edgar With?" Harvy blinked again. "Uh...yeah. Why?" The rabbit girl leaned closer. "Look you probably don't get it 'cause you're new and all, but the guy's a total freak. He's a psycho! Everyone knows to stay the hell away from him, he's dangerous. If you keep hanging out with him you'll never make any real friends around here..."
Harvy was in total shock. She began fuming. Who the hell did this stuck up little BITCH think she was!? "Woah! Hold it RIGHT there! I think you have it BACKWARDS! Gar IS a REAL friend! He doesn't give a damn about appearences and he doesn't judge people based on social status! He's the only DECENT totem i've met since I came here and unlike you he isn't some stupid mindless zombie who doesn't even bother to actually TALK to someone before treating them like living garbage! So if I were you I'd mind my own buisness BITCH!!" The rabbit stared back in complete and utter shock. The look on her face would have been hilarious if Harvy hadn't been so enraged at that moment. As Harvy quickly turned to leave she heard several cheers coming from a couple of nerdy looking totems in the back. She fought back tears as she quickly walked to her locker. She just wanted to find Gar and forget the cruel words she'd just heard...
Gar sighed as he leaned against the wall at the front of the school. He watched absently as totems passed and uttered cruel gossip about him, some fixing him with malicious stares. He laughed under his breath at there ignorance, feeling great pity towards them all. He checked the clock and noticed Harvy was running a bit behind. He absently wondered what could be keeping her when he noticed her walking rather quickly in his direction. He smiled cheerfully and stepped forward to meet his dear friend. "Harvy! I'm pleased you've arri-" He was cut off mid sentence as Harvy shamelessly tackled him in a huge hug, not caring at all what the gossiping totems around her were saying. Gar was about to say something when he noticed moisture on his shirt. He looked down and saw that Harvy was crying into his chest. At a loss, Gar silently held her close and stroked her head fur until she stopped a few moments later. Harvy quickly wiped her eyes on her sleeve and walked ahead, forcing Gar to walk quickly to keep pace. When they were a few blocks away, Harvy suddenly took a seat upon a bench. Gar silently followed.
After a moment Harvy spoke up. "...Sorry Gar..." Gar looked at her with a frown. "What have you to be sorry for Harvy?" She gave him a guilty look. "For suddenly grabbing you and crying like that...it must have made you uncomfortable..." Gar smiled kindly. "Do not let that worry you. I am far more concerned with what is troubling my dear friend." Harvy sighed and hesitantly met his gaze. "Well...someone in my last period class said I shouldn't hang out with you...she said some really evil and cruel things about you! She doesn't even know you! None of them do!..." Harvy trailed off as tears began to well again. Gar sighed and cracked a small smile. "We have inherited much from mankind...strengths and weaknesses...it would seem that 'fear of what is not understood' is one such weakness. Please Harvy, do not let the ignorance of the lost hold such power over your heart. Such a tender heart was made to feel love not anger nor sorrow." Harvy gasped audibly as she met Gar's eyes. Tears welled again as she hugged him tenderly.
She dried her eyes and forced a smile. Her heart was racing and she felt her face heat up unbearably. "Y-you're such a kind person Gar. You're honestly the best friend i've ever had!" Gar smiled kindly. "You too!" He winked and chuckled in good humor. Gar stood and helped Harvy up. With that they headed home, walking in a comfortable silence until they had to part ways. Gar wished her a good evening and headed off to the trailer park. Harvy watched him go with a smile, already immensely looking forward to tommorrow...
Gar sighed deeply, an air of mixed emotions about him as he trekked up the lonely dirt path of the trailer park. He gazed absently at the muted tones of the desert sky, lit up in a brilliant display of orange and red as the faintly glowing sun began to retreat. He had hoped to spare Harvy the senseless pain that came with his existence. He sighed sadly as he realized that such a thing was inevitable. He did wish she wouldn't let such matters trouble her though. It was useless to let the ignorance of others hold power over you... With a final sigh, Gar put it out of his mind focusing instead on the day he and Harvy would share tomorrow. The thought brought a light smile to his face.
Gar entered the badly maintaned trailer he called home, stopping dead in his tracks as he spotted a familiar form reclining upon the couch. He grinned slightly and approached the slumbering black bird. Gently he layed a talon upon his shoulder. "Father...are you well?" The middle aged crow slowly opened his tired eyes and looked up at his son, his expression softning as recognition dawned on him. His beak slowly opened, his voice coming out dry and hoarse. "...My boy..." He slowly raised a weathered black talon to lightly brush Gar's face. "You seem strangely at peace...your mother would be so happy...has something happened?" Gar smiled sweetly. "Yes father...i've made a friend...she is very kind..." The black bird smiled brightly. "I have always prayed to Gaea for your happiness Edgar...praise her for listening to an old fool like me..."
Gar smiled with a mixture of happiness and slight sorrow. "I love you father...please...be well..." As Gar trailed off, his gaze slowly fell upon the empty beer bottles upon the floor. The weary crow followed his line of sight, a painful expression masking his features as he sighed in resignation. He hated himself for worrying his son. He was a coward he knew, running away from his pain every night. He never pretended to have Gar's strength...the same strength instilled in him by his mother...Gaea...how he missed her...she was his strength...she was his everything. Gar gently enveloped his father in a tender, forgiving hug. His brilliant white wings slowly unfurled, gently wrapping around his father's shattered form...
Harvy skipped through her front door even more giddy then she had been the previous day. Suddenly she recalled her mother's conversation with her that day and quickly controlled herself. "Oh Har-vy..." CRAP. Too late she thought. Mrs. Sellow swiftly entered the family room with a large grin on her muzzle. "H-hiya mom..." The older wolf grinned wider. "How was school today honey?" Harvy gulped. "Just fine mom...no I didn't meet a boy." Harvy thought it would be best to silence this conversation before it started. "Oh? Why so excited then?" Harvy sighed in defeat. "I just made plan's with Gar tomorrow and i'm kinda looking forward to actually having a friend to hang out with. I was gonna call him tomorrow and ask him to meet me here. Is that okay?"
The older wolf blinked. "This would be the raven boy then?" Harvy nodded. "Oh. Okay honey that would be just fine. Have him join us for lunch would you dear? I would like to meet him properly alright?" Harvy sighed in relief. Her mother seemed to calm down once she knew it was only the 'raven boy' who'd caused her little mood boost. Part of Harvy felt immensely relieved, but another part of her felt slightly saddened by the fact her mother so quickly assumed she had no romantic interest in him... Harvy quickly shook her head. Where had that thought come from? Still, she briefly wondered if Gar had ever really had any intimate relationships. If how he was treated at school was anything to go on, it didn't seem likely. Harvy visibly frowned at this realization. They were the same then, but Harvy had always at least had her friends back in Nebraska. Gar had NEVER had friends. She couldn't imagine all the pain he must have felt for all those lonely years.
Remembering Gar's soothing words that evening on the bench, she quickly shook her head in an effort to ignore those thoughts. Now wasn't the time to focus on such negative things. She would have a fun time with Gar tomorrow and nothing would ruin that. Nodding with conviction she headed to her room to clean up for dinner. That's right. Gar had a friend now, and she would make damn sure she was the BEST friend he could ever hope for...